#191 European Trip Part I
An update from Europe (London). My long-awaited trip around Europe is here. Unfortunately, I am feeling distinctly unenthused about this trip.
The flight from the Philippines to Doha was OK except for the landing. The pilot aborted the landing three different times along with much change in pitch and power of the engine and the plane. Extremely alarming, especially as I couldn’t make out what they were saying on the PA. In the end we diverted to Bahrain for a couple of hours before the winds, which had caused the aborted landings, died down and then we were able to go right back in. The alarm from my part came because the cockpit was not great about telling us what was going on and I don't like not knowing. Doha airport was great as always. Although getting in three hours later than we were supposed to meant that I couldn't find a decent place to sleep.
I did end up spending more time in the new north wing of the airport, which is just beautifully executed. See the pictures below.
I arrived in Amsterdam and had a rather amusing experience with immigration. Young Dutch guy, very friendly, but had never seen a Saint Kitts passport before. There wasn't a lot of people in line, so I explained to him that I have an Argentinian passport but I'm trying to conserve the pages, and he then asked me, after checking some list on the wall couldn’t find St. Kitts listed, then asked, “Are you sure you don't need a visa for this passport here in the Schengen zone?” And I said as far as I know, no visa is required. He said “OK.”, stamped my passport and handed it back to me. He did also ask if he could please take a picture of the cover for his passport collection, and I said sure of course go ahead. 😊
I haven't been in Amsterdam for decades, it was quite nice. I wasn't very happy with the Marriott hotel I was staying in because for some reason they have some ridiculous policy that they don't recognize the elite members here in Europe the same way they do in other continents. That is a quote from the front desk lady at another Marriott in Amsterdam. I have time on my hands, so I am going to write a long letter to the CEO of Marriott international. I doubt he'll ever see it or read it, but writing those things does make me feel better so I will.
In addition to the stress and anxiety attacks caused by the problems with the missed approach in Doha, the first morning that I went to the definitely subpar gym here at the hotel … accident! I went to the machine with cables and weights to do tricep presses and, facing away from the machine as i pulled the weights up, the entire rack of equipment fell over pinning me to the floor. Although I suffered a long cut on my forearm and some bruises, I was relatively unharmed, but quite frankly it scared the crap out of me. You know my problems with my back, and I thought that all the work that I had done with physical therapy over the last year had basically just been crushed in an instant. But fortunately, I was able to walk away and within a few days I would say I was certainly no worse off than I was before other than a long cut on my forearm. The stress from the incident though, stuck with me for quite a few days, and even now I am still experiencing anxiety attacks out of nowhere. Oh well. At least I was not badly injured. Two things have struck me about Amsterdam. One is, for a “civilized” country, the sidewalks and roads are really filthy. Littered with cigarette butts. I'm amazed at how many people smoke, and the fact that they don't keep the streets clean.
I did a tourist thing for the first time in ages. I went to the Rijks Museum. What a waste of time and money. I had to stand in line 15 minutes. By the time I got inside my legs and back already were giving me a lot of grief. I wandered around for about 30 minutes looking at paintings by dead people that I could have just as easily looked at online. If I had wanted to and I would not have wanted to. Then coffee in an overpriced café and I left.
I ate in a Nepalese restaurant. Lahkay. Pictures above. Delicious but it tasted Indian to me. 😊
On the positive side, I will try my best to articulate this, but it is so nice to see the people here. Especially the women. They are tall, proud, good looking, unafraid. I see women and men, walking around unafraid of who they are, how they're dressed, and how they're acting. After living the majority of my life in countries where religion and culture place so many serious restrictions on being yourself, it is so nice to see the people here happy and unafraid.
I'm leaving to go to London today, to see my old friend Michael. I am really looking forward to that although it has been again, decades since I have been in England. I wonder what they will think of my St. Kitts passport. Schipol is not the wonderful airport that I fondly imagined it to be …
In London. Can’t swing a cat in my room but that is normal here I guess. Much cleaner than the Sir Albert in Amsterdam. Great to see Michael last night. No problem with St. Kitts. That is my 5th stamp in it now. 😊
London is $$$$$. It is nice being here again, but I can’t see living here at all.
Tomorrow back on the road to Spain for a couple of days. Then Amsterdam, then Copenhagen and Norway. I’m tired. Thinking seriously of cutting trip short after Norway and seeing Jakob.